, 1887-07-17
WILLARD THE ROVER.
The Iron Duke of Sundance "
Heads for the West.
Some Features of His Rather
Gaudy Career.
His Solitary Public Effort at
Mind Reading.

~AhhOhS Nv Nui0i VI 'JOuilhS Jul
nalism for the past few years has been
John Franklin Willard, who drifted west
from Rawlins a few days ago.
He was originally a Massachusetts boy
and learned the printers trade in Boston.
While still a youth he got married,
quarreled with his mother-ln-law, left the
home of psychology between days and
landed in the United States army. Dur
ing his five years of service he partici-
pated more or less in one of the cam
paigns against the Apaches in Arizona.
On slight pr%ovocation he would expose to
public commiseration a portion of his
battle-scarred anatomy and relate tales of
his adventures that were perhaps not
phenomenally truthful.
Among Millard's leading characteristics
are his passionate aversion to the use of
soap, a gall that completely transcends
the realms of simple cheek, an indisposi-
ton to exert himself, and a picturesque
and exotic u~ntruthfulness that captures
every listener.
As a glittering and plausible liar Mil
lard may have had some equals, but
never since the good old days when
Ananias was in his prime has his superior
existed in this vale of tears.
He is an omniverous reader, his mem
DRY is retentive and his fund of practical
information is always close at hand for i'm
mediate use. AS a writer his style is
jerky and rugged, though it contains a
good deal of the individuality that at
tracts, but he is frequently unbalanced
and always cratic. He has no conscien-
tious scruples except IN the subject of
soap.
Among Millard's manias is a passion
for self destruction. About once in so
often he determines to end his sorrows by
suicide, and solemnly bids the world a
final adieu. About the last time he de-
termined to shuttle of this mortal coil was
in this city. He went to his room and
drew forth his rusty razor. In fiendish
glee he passed his thumb across the
blade and standing before a mirror
made a few melo-dramatic strokes at his
throat. This method of self-destruction
probably struck him as uncouth and bar
barous, with the accent on the barber,
for he soon laid aside the registering
blade and drew forth an antique but
trusty pistol. With the deadly weapon
in his hand he again approached the mir
TOR and with a CHASTITY grin placed the
cold muzzle to his temple. At this mo
ment his roommate, whom he had provi.
IDENTIFY warned beforehand, rushed into
the room. He was a moment too late,
however, for the hammer fell with an
ominous click. But the revolver unfor-
tunately failed to explode and Willard
didn't fall with the dull, sickening thud
usual to such occasions. A tussle en-
sued between Willard and his roommate
for the pistol, which the latter finally Sc
cured. Willard received much sympathy
until it was subsequently learned that be-
fore attempting suicide he had thought
fully extracted all the cartridges from the
| pistol.
Willard had a happy faculty of fire.
quently flying off on a tangent. During
the period when he was editor of the
Cheyenne Tribune an individual named
Brown gave an exhibition of his ability as
a mind reader in the opera house. Mil
lard was completely carried AVA with the
performance. He concluded that he had
hitherto missed his vocation, for while
wasting his energies in the treadmill of
journalism he might have been reapIng a
golden harvest on the stage. Through
some peculiar means he secured about
5000 in ready cash. The first way that
suggested itself in which to test his mind
reading capacity was to steer it up against
a faro bank. Probably never slnc the
game was first invented has such an eccen-
trio system been played. he confined his
operations exclusively to half a dozen
cards and played these with religious reg
ularity whether they were dead" or not.
In the meantime he paid no attention
whatever to the layout. He wrapped
himself in a cold, naughty air that moved
the b~ystanders to mirth, and with his
back to the dealer tried to evolve the turn
from his inner consciousness. His efforts
in this direction were not conspicuously
successful. About every other deal he
went outside to consult the stars, but
ended finally by dropping his whole pile.
| Strange to say his faith in his own mind
reading p%roclivities remained mistaken.
Willard is a good deal ola calamity to
any community in which he lives, but he
fits into a snug berth about as snugly as
any man at present at large in the western
country.
A Massive Monument.